Podcast: Not-for-profits can influence agenda this election, says political trailblazer

Known as both pragmatic and principled, Patten has returned to the fray as a federal Senate candidate for the Legalise Cannabis Party.

Her latest campaign follows her recovery from three types of cancer in just two years, and builds on a legacy of political victories, including passing voluntary assisted dying legislation, decriminalising sex work, criminal records reform, legalising ride sharing, and ensuring safe access zones near women’s reproductive health clinics.

Speaking to the Institute of Community Directors Australia (ICDA) ahead of her appearance as the main guest on the April 3 edition of the Not-for-profit Agenda webinar, Patten shared her knowledge of the inner workings of parliaments, and explained how not-for-profits (NFPs) could better engage with politics.

Speaking as the headline guest at last week’s quarterly ICDA webinar, the Not-for-profit Agenda, the Legalise Cannabis Party Senate representative said not-for-profits could benefit from a minority government, as it would rely on minor parties – and therefore more negotiation – for legislation to pass.

Patten said early predictions suggested a Labor minority government was quite possible, and that such a government would create new opportunities for the sector.

“We can look back to the last time we had a minority government, which was when we had Prime Minister Julia Gillard. An awful lot of progressive legislation was enacted in that time.

“The government was challenged, the government needed to play with others, to work with others to achieve their agenda. But it also meant that they had to listen to the objectives of others. And that does provide that opportunity for a greater number of voices to take part in the decision making, to take part in the development of legislation and regulation.”

The Not-for-profit Agenda was streamed live from ICDA headquarters to an audience of hundreds of not-for-profit leaders. (Watch a full replay here.)

Time to start knocking on doors

Patten said the lead-up to the election was an ideal time for not-for-profit leaders to familiarise themselves with the promises and policies of candidates and sitting members.

Asked what “homework” she would assign NFP leaders, she emphasised the importance of understanding research and engagement.

“Look at who the candidates are, look at their policy, and start connecting with them,” she said.

This could entail a short phone call, email or Zoom meeting.

“Some of them – that are getting out and about in their community – will want to speak to everyone. So now can be a good time to do that.”

“Election times are often key times to get some commitments from Members of Parliament, and certainly when the reality of the popularity contest that is that election looms, they are all too conscious and aware that they need broad support in their community.”

Surveys could be an effective way of assessing candidates’ positions.

“I know as a candidate, I would try and respond to every single one of those. It sharpens those issues for those Members of Parliament, knowing that these are issues that voters will care about.”

Patten encouraged organisations to examine all political parties’ policies and to consider “whether they've got policies that align with the policies and objectives of your organisation. It may surprise you”.

Even parties such One Nation or the Shooters and Fishers parties may be “unlikely allies”.

“I mean, who would have thought that Warren Entsch, a conservative MP from Far North Queensland, would have led some of the fight on marriage equality?”, Patten said.

“Keep your options open.”

The event also featured expert commentary from a string of sector leaders:

• Cassandra Goldie, chief executive of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)
• Emma Dawson, chief executive of progressive economics think tank Per Capita
• Kasy Chambers and Maiy Azize, executive director and deputy director, respectively, of Anglicare Australia
• Peter Lewis, director of Essential Media
• Josie Lee, advocacy and policy lead at Oxfam
• David Gilchrist, professor and economist at the University of Western Australia’s Centre for Public Value
• Helen Hodgson, tax reform expert at Curtin University and former WA Democrats MLC
• Terese Edwards, CEO of Single Mother Families Australia.

Sector leaders shouldn’t underestimate their influence

Patten said not-for-profits and charities had a duty to engage politically, even if that required a non-partisan stance.

“It behoves them to influence the political process, for many of them are at the frontline and many are working with people with lived experience. They understand the challenges that are facing our society. And they are best placed to inform governments and decision makers about how we can improve the lives of Australians.”

She said understanding the parliamentary system could be a powerful tool for not-for-profits.

“I find things like Senate estimates, but also at a state level – committee inquiries, and a whole range of other parliamentary processes, provide opportunities. They provide opportunities to ask questions and have a minister who must answer them.”

“Whether it's at Senate estimates or whether it's in the Parliament at Question Time, these are opportunities to get direct answers from the minister, something that if you wrote a letter to the minister, you might wait months for a response. And more than likely, you won't get an answer.”

NFP leaders should start thinking about their key questions, and should already have gathered supporting evidence, data or statistics.

Organisations may need “a friendly senator to ask those questions for you”, and Patten highlighted the value of crossbench senators, those who aren’t members of major parties.

“This is something that has changed over the last 10 years, but the crossbench is becoming more powerful”.

However, she advised against trying to catch out the government or major parties with “gotcha” moments.

“The opposition quite often is just there for a ‘gotcha’ moment, but if you want to progress something and you want to work with government, ‘gotcha’ moments don't necessarily help you. Embarrassing a government official or a Member of Parliament doesn't necessarily win you any points or progress your issue.”

Poll reveals sector sees advantages with minority Labor

A snap poll during the show revealed that more than a third (37%) of those present believed a minority Labor government would deliver better results for the sector.

Just over a quarter (26%) would want to assess party policies before deciding which party was more likely to deliver a better deal for the sector.

And while 16.5% believed a majority Labor government would deliver for the sector, only 6% thought a Coalition majority government would achieve the same.

Just 3% thought a minority Coalition government would be good for achieving sector goals.

Don’t take sides ­– apart from your own

As someone who has worked with not-for-profits on a variety of reforms, Patten advised organisations to remain politically neutral. (For registered charities, this is a requirement. – Ed.)

“I think if your organisation can remain as nonpartisan as possible, that is to your benefit. To be able to speak to both sides of the House is important.”

She said that while governments control funding and the legislative agenda, “they won’t be in government forever”, and she stressed that the opposition, crossbench and smaller parties were influential.

Patten said it was important to put aside personal politics and engage with all representatives.

“Speak to everyone.”

She said NFPs that were able to open doors to conversations “have the chance to change or soften someone's opinion, or the way someone thinks about an issue”.

Organisations should tailor their messages to representatives, she said, which requires knowing what they’ve said on an issue previously.

She said it was frustrating for MPs to discover that “people hadn't done their homework, so they didn't know that I had already spoken about the issue, or that I was already completely on side”.

Now’s the time to knock on doors

Asked whether now was a good time for NFPs and charities to seek a better deal from their local federal MP, Patten said: “I certainly think it is. The politicians are acutely aware of the popularity competition that they are in right now. And so, for those lower house candidates, they want to be seen and they want to be liked by their community.”

She said “good politicians” would be listening, but she also stressed that registered charities should avoid being partisan, and should seek support across parliament for their cause.

She said that all candidates were expected to be listed on the Australian Electoral Commission website by early this week for organisations seeking to get in touch for surveys, events, invitations and meetings.

Patten stressed that community organisations were “a valuable asset to those members of Parliament”.

“Good members of Parliament want to know what's going on in their community. They want to know what people are thinking. They want to know what people need. It behooves you to tell them.”

ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie, speaking in a video interview, said that any organisations pushing for a policy change or funding should be very clear about their “ask” in their preparations for a meeting.

“Be very clear about what your ask is, and make that clear as quickly as possible,” Goldie said.

“Politicians have lots of meetings, and one of the bits of feedback I get is often they're sitting there for a long time going, what's this person want?”

She said pitches should be brief, in writing, and “bold, clear and very persuasive”.

She said community leaders should ask themselves “‘Is there a way that I can connect them to the reality of the community that I'm representing?’ because as we know, in the end, what's most persuasive in changing somebody's mind is changing their heart.”

Keep that political pitch simple

Patten recommended NFPs keep their messages clear and concise.

While politicians want to understand issues, “they're probably not going to read that 50-page report”.

She said groups should prioritise executive summaries, key recommendations and findings, and use pictures and graphics to quickly get their message across.

Patten said it was essential to simplify and “consolidate” information for the targeted politician or representative, and to personalise that information to include statewide, national or electorate-based data as needed.

“If you can personalise it … that also gives them something to say, gives them something to put in their newsletter, or when they're speaking to the issue in Parliament, to say ‘In my own electorate, this is happening.’”

A little extra work can go a long way

Asked whether organisations at the frontline were too busy with service delivery to spend time on political work, Patten suggested a simple but effective tactic: invitations.

“I used to go to the opening of an envelope,” she said.

“Most MPs do care about their community, so even if you're not going to be lobbying and writing letters and knocking on party doors, invite those MP to events, whether they're the government or the opposition or an independent. Invite them to see what you do. You might not have a success every time, but MPs are putting out newsletters, they're putting out social media, they need those photo opportunities.”

Events were also an opportunity to inform MPs about NFP work firsthand, she said, including how hard the organisation is working, and to demonstrate the dedication of the people in it.

Patten fires up her own cannabis campaign

Commenting on her own prospects, Patten was sanguine about her chances as someone battling for the sixth spot on the Victorian Senate ticket, and one considered to be in a neck-and-neck fight with the Clive Palmer–backed Trumpet of Patriots candidate.

“To me that just seems like such an amazing contrast, but that’s the vagaries of the Senate vote,” Patten said.

“I’m definitely in there with a chance if I can get maybe five, six per cent of the vote.”

As a political operative who has been at the forefront of minor party politics, including as the leader of the Sex Party, later renamed the Reason Party, Patten told the webinar audience that the rise of minority parties had been fuelled by dissatisfaction with major parties.

She cited the example of seeing progressive gambling reforms rejected in the Victorian parliament by Labor MPs voting on party lines.

“I watched my Labor colleagues all support this terrible piece of legislation, but looking at their feet when they did it. I think that that kind of groupthink … is not really in line with where we are in a 21st century.”

More information

Watch a replay of the Not-for-profit Agenda (shown Thursday, April 3)

Building political connections is a long game

How to win political friends and influence people

Great advocacy starts here

Five ways to improve your government engagement